Beyond One's Control
by Samwysesr
Summary: Set in Shadow Kiss— Someone makes an unexpected discovery, and it could end up saving a life. This will be a two-shot.
1. Time to Fight

_**A/N After I had to write Adrian's version/pov of the cave scene for Aurora Borealis, I felt horrible. Even though I was only following the storyline Richelle Mead had already written/laid out in Shadow Kiss, I felt terrible for Strigoi-ing Dimitri (My poor Dimitri!) **_

_**My subconscious offered up this little story to soothe my pain. It's an alternate version of the cave scene in which Dimitri lives, because someone unexpected rides in, saving the day. It will be in two parts, and I'm leaning towards tying the 2nd part in with Aurora Borealis, so you Adrian lovers will be happy.  
**_

_**I hope you enjoy it.  
**_

_**Disclaimer for entire story: I do not own the characters, the world they're based in or the foundation plot/dialogue. I only own the dialogue and plot changes I've created.  
**_

* * *

On a normal day, he would run through a vast gamut of emotions. He'd feel love for his girlfriend. Irritation towards Rose. Anger—no, make that barely contained rage when dealing with the other morons who walked the halls with him. Moreover, deep inside—in a place he refused to acknowledge—there was a well of sorrow, constantly on the brink of overflowing. He'd lived with it since that horrible night almost thirteen years before; only recently—since he'd fallen in love with Lissa—had the sadness finally begun to subside.

On a normal day he would try to ignore his classmates in the same way they ignored him. There were always a few idiots that had to stand out, though. Snickering and pointing, their stage whispers to each other made in voices pitched just loud enough so they could be sure his sensitive ears would catch their attempts to taunt him. To insult him.

All because of something he'd had absolutely no control over.

Tonight, none of that mattered. Right now, in this moment, he felt none of those things. He felt… good. No—he felt abso-fucking-lutely fabulous.

He'd just saved Rose Hathaway's life.

The Strigoi's fangs were mere inches away from her neck when she screamed out. She hadn't cried out 'stop' or 'don't'—the single word she uttered gave testament to the fact his safety was her sole concern. Death was about to claim her, and she was telling him to run. To save himself.

Fuck that.

Without thinking his magic flared to life and he directed it straight at the asshole who'd made the mistake of attacking his friend. The Strigoi lit up like a torch, skin sizzling and popping as it jerked backwards, giving Rose the opportunity to roll safely away, unharmed.

Thick flames covered its body, completely obscuring it, turning it into a man-shaped bonfire. As they watched, it gave a horrible sounding, gurgling cry, falling to the ground. Twitching, it rolled over before finally going still. Steam rose where fire hit the snow, and the flames soon burned out, revealing nothing but ashes underneath. The air felt thick and oily around them, coating their skin with a thin, filmy layer, reminding him of the way he felt after standing over a frying pan for an extended period of time.

They stared at the charred remains for a moment, then his eyes darted over to Rose. She had an expression of utter astonishment on her face as she looked up from the ashes, her eyes darting around the clearing and up to the sky, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth. It only lasted for a moment before she pulled herself together, reaching down to help him up from his crouched position.

"Wow." she said. Being Rose, she didn't verbally thank him, but her eyes sent him a silent message of gratitude. He smirked, a sarcastic quip ready to roll off his tongue—she always brought out his snarky side.

"No shit. Didn't know I had that much power." He peered around, body rigid and tense. "Are there more?"

She shook her head. "No."

"You seem pretty certain."

"Well…this is going to sound weird, but I can kind of sense them. Don't ask how," Rose said, as he opened his mouth. "Just roll with it. I think it's like the ghost thing, a shadow-kissed side effect. Whatever. Let's get back to the chapel."

He didn't move. He had a strange, wonderful idea, if only he could convince her . Once upon a time it wouldn't have been hard, she'd been as much of a rebel as he was—probably more of one, truth be told—but lately she'd been acting almost… responsible. Right now, with her in guardian mode… Fuck it, he had to take the chance.

"Rose … do you really want to hole up in the chapel?"

"What do you mean?"

"We just took out two Strigoi," he said, pointing to the staked and charred bodies.

She met his eyes, indecision playing across her face. "I can't," she told him slowly. "I can't risk your life..."

"Rose. You know what we could do. I can see it in your face. It's worth risking one Moroi life—and, well, yours—to take out a bunch of Strigoi."

She bit her lip, and he could tell she was waging an internal battle. All dhampirs were taught the same basic lesson. Never put a Moroi in danger. He waited, for once not taunting her. They may have their differences, but this… this was too important. Their unrelenting torment of each other could be put on hold until tomorrow. That is, if they actually made it to tomorrow and didn't end up as Strigoi snacks.

"Don't use your full power on them," she finally said. "You don't need to incinerate them in ten seconds like that. Just light them up enough to distract them, and then I'll finish them. You can save your power."

He couldn't stop the grin from forming. "We're going hunting?"

She smiled back at him, and for a brief moment, he realized how alike they were—not that he'd ever admit it to anyone. She was giving him such a wicked grin that it made him feel like they were planning to do something totally abominable and forbidden.

With a nod of her head, she indicated their destination. "Let's go to the elementary campus."

They set off at a light jog, almost making it all the way to the other campus without seeing anyone or anything. Suddenly, Rose's hand clutched at her stomach. She called out a warning, but it was a second too late.

A Strigoi grabbed him by the shoulders.

It underestimated him, just like everyone did. Christian was fast—faster than other Moroi. He'd practiced with his aunt for as long as he could remember. She'd prepared him for an attack like this. Flames wreathed the Strigoi's head and it began to scream, releasing him instantly. It was so intent on attempting to put out the flames that it never saw Rose coming. In seconds she was removing her stake from its chest, smiling as she used the newly deceased's clothing to remove the gore from her weapon. The whole thing took under a minute.

Christian and Rose exchanged looks, each slowly breaking into a beaming smile.

Oh yeah. Together, they were fucking unstoppable.

Racing through the trees to their destination, he felt the addictive rush of adrenaline as it began to flow through his veins. What a fucking rush.

Breaking through the trees, they stopped, stunned for a moment by the sight before them. The elementary campus was a hotbed of activity. At least twenty Strigoi were spread out, with not even half that many guardians trying to keep them away from the entrance to the dorms. Rose took a quick look around, immediately charging into the battle. Less than five seconds later, he was by her side.

She ran towards a compactly built dark haired guardian—he thought the man's name was Emil. The man was either extremely brave or a complete idiot, attempting to take out three Strigoi on his own. Noticing the body lying near the man's feet, Christian decided on a third option—so far, Emil had been very, very lucky. Judging by the massive bruise welling up on the side of his face, however, the man's luck was fading fast.

Rose caught his eye and with a single, quick movement of her head, indicated which of the three she was claiming. The female Strigoi she lunged at did not even have time to turn around before the silver stake buried deep in her heart. With a minute amount of concentration, Christian pulled on his magic, shoving it towards one of the two remaining monsters. Within seconds, it went up like a stack of dry wood, its screams filling the air along with the greasy odor of burning flesh.

Emil seemed surprised, perhaps wondering if the Strigoi had spontaneously combusted, but quickly pushed whatever thoughts he had aside as he rammed his stake home, finishing off his remaining attacker. Christian stepped forward, out of the shadows and guardian froze for a moment, eyes widening.

"You shouldn't have brought him here," Emil said to Rose, even as their eyes scanned the yard and they began moving to assist another guardian. "Moroi aren't supposed to get involved with this."

On their heels, Christian gritted his teeth, unable to keep his tone civil. "Moroi should have been involved with this a long time ago."

There wasn't much time for conversation after that. They moved from fight to fight, combining his magic and her stake. Not all of their kills were as fast and easy as the early ones had been. Some fights were long and drawn out. After the first six, he lost count of how many Strigoi they took down. Still they kept coming, appearing in a never ending flow. One would be taken down and two more would take its place. He pulled on his magic more forcefully, and when he released it this time, two of their nearby foes went up in a blaze.

From the corner of his eye Christian saw a blonde haired male Strigoi circling Rose. He pivoted, determined to keep her in his line of vision, in case the creature got the upper hand. He was momentarily distracted when another Strigoi lunged at him from the side, but again, he'd been underestimated. He may not have the speed of a dhampir, but thanks to his aunt Tasha, he was better prepared than the average Moroi. Ducking he gathered his magic, holding it like a clenched fist for a moment, allowing it to gather and strengthen within him. When it built to the point that he felt his blood beginning to boil he flexed, shoving it outward. The element left him with a rush of force so great that it instantly incinerated the Strigoi in its tracks.

He turned toward Rose, feeling his rage flare to life as he heard the blonde Strigoi taunting her. "You were always with that Dragomir girl, the blonde."

Trying to keep one ear on the conversation, Christian formed a fireball in his hands, hurling it across the yard like a major league pitcher throwing a 100 mile an hour fastball. It hit its target, earning him a nod from the guardian who'd almost been overpowered. His eyes immediately flicked back to Rose, assessing her situation.

Rose's stake came within inches of catching the blonde. "I am her guardian!"

"She's still alive, then…There were rumors that she'd died last year…" Its voice was full of pure malice. "You have no idea what kind of reward I'd get to take down the last living Drag— Ahh!"

He'd dodged her stake from hitting his chest again, but this time Rose managed an upward strike that dragged the stake's tip across his face, making him scream out in pain.

"I'll come back for you after I finish her," he snarled.

"You'll never get near her," Rose growled back.

Christian felt a sense of amazement at the utter surety of her tone.. She was so damned… confident. The feeling was washed away in a burst of fear as a Strigoi that another guardian was fighting slammed into her side. She stumbled but still somehow managed to drive the stake through its heart. He was so intent on watching, he somehow missed out on the blonde bastards escape.

Fuck.

There was no time to feel regret—another immediately took his place, moving in on Rose. As she moved toward it, Christian covered it in flames, making it an easy mark for her stake.

"Christian, this Strigoi—"

"I heard," he panted.

"We have to go to her!"

"He was messing with you. She's across campus, surrounded by novices and guardians. She'll be okay."

"But—"

He didn't hesitate for a moment. "They need us here." As much as he loved Lissa, as much as he wanted to run to her side and protect her, this had to take precedence. The kids that were behind those doors wouldn't have a hope in hell if the Strigoi got into the building. The dhampirs were too young to fight, and most of the Moroi probably still had no idea as to what element they could call into play.

He lost himself in the battle, moving from one to the next, always keeping an eye on Rose. My God, Lissa would be the safest Moroi in the world when they graduated. Rose fought like a maniac. They moved from Strigoi to Strigoi, never stopping, not even to catch their breath.

Until they were all lying dead, their corpses and ashes littering the ground.

He was panting, feeling the first hints of exhaustion. Nothing like what he was sure Rose was feeling—the woman was a killing machine—but he'd used a lot of magic tonight, and that had taken its own physical toll.

Rose looked around. "We gotta find another one."

"There are no others," a man called out.

Christian saw the change come over her as soon as she heard the accented voice. In the split second before she turned around, she lit up, becoming almost… radiant. He'd never seen—never even imagined Rose could look like that.

He glanced at the tall man who'd approached them from the trees, stopping perhaps a foot and a half away from them. Guardian Belikov. But why would Rose light up for her mentor?

He narrowed his eyes, taking in the scene that was unfolding before him. Being ignored by his peers had given him one very useful skill—he 'd learned how to fade into the background. Not that he really needed to do it right now, they seemed to have forgotten his existence. He took advantage of their momentary distraction to study them—he had always had the ability to discern even the most subtle hint of evidence. He absorbed everything, almost in the blink of an eye.

Belikov and Rose had locked eyes, each one swaying slightly, as if they were struggling not to move forward. Belikov had fisted his hands; his arms were rigid and stiff, as if he were struggling to keep them in place. Rose mirrored him, one hand still clenching her stake, the other shaking slightly , held tight to her side.

His eyes darted to the tall man's face, and he felt his eyes widening in shock. He recognized the look—the expression on the Russian's face. Belikov was gazing at Rose in a way that Christian, himself, often used when staring at Lissa.

What. The. Fuck.

When Christian gave that look to Lissa, it told her that he was thinking about the things that happened in the attic. It said he was thinking about the feeling of her body beneath his. It let her know he was remembering the taste of her skin, and the small, passion filled cries she made as he moved inside her, driving her towards her climax. That look, that… countenance conveyed the fact she was his everything, and that he loved her from the depths of his soul.

Oh yes. He understood every nuance that flicked across Guardian Belikov's face. Christian forced his eyes to look at Rose, wondering… Yes. She had the same expression on her face, mixed with a look of intense yearning.

It was so damned obvious. This was why Rose had been so rude to Tasha. And Belikov… Rose was the reason the man had declined his aunt's offer. How had he missed it? How had they kept it under wraps? What… As he watched them, trying to puzzle over the fact the entire school was clueless; again, he took in their posture. The way they were standing so rigid…

They were fighting against the urge to embrace—the same urge he knew he would feel when he saw Lissa. He'd want to hold her, and kiss her, to revel in the fact she'd made it through a dangerous situation unharmed. But these two… they couldn't. It wasn't allowed, for more reasons than he could list.

The realization hit him like a blow, and for the first time ever, he filled with sympathy for Rose. He forced himself to look away, to give them this brief moment of togetherness without being watched or judged.

Because Christian knew all too well, how it hurt to be condemned for things you had no control over. And falling in love, well that was something that no one could command, no matter how hard they might try to avoid it.


	2. Infamy into Acclimation

At first, when she'd told him what was happening, he didn't believe her. There was no way they'd leave him behind. No way she would leave him—not after how well they'd fought together. He and Rose may have their differences, but fighting… they made a damned good team, for fucks sake. In Spokane they'd achieved the impossible, breaking out of that godforsaken basement. And today, most of the Strigoi kills on the lower campus had been theirs, according to Guardian Belikov. Surely that counted for something?

Christian sat fuming for almost an hour after the Guardians left on the rescue mission. Rose and a few of the other novices had accompanied them, but they'd forced him to stay behind, refusing his forceful demands to be included. His life, apparently, was more important that theirs, and couldn't be risked on such a dangerous mission. It was complete and utter bullshit.

Sure, he was tired from fighting, but so were they. A trip to the feeders had gone a long way to restoring his strength. He was ready and willing to fight beside them again. What good were the handful of Moroi they'd allowed on the mission, when none of them had been trained to fight? Not a single one of them had the slightest idea about using defensive magic. He was the only one who knew what the fuck to do, who understood and had practiced what the older Moroi only theorized about.

He was pissed, but more important than that, he was worried. He'd overheard what Ivashkov had been muttering to himself in that creepy, spirit infused voice as he attempted to heal the wounded. Not complete sentences, just a few brief snippets. Things like 'Rose is screaming' and 'her soul is dying'. The words kept playing through Christian's mind, tormenting him. Were they true? Was Rose going to fall in the fight—sacrificing herself to save Eddie and the others?

No. He refused to even acknowledge the thought. She was the best fighter they had, next to Belikov, and the Russian wouldn't let anything happen to her. But goddamn it, why had she left him here? They were partners, each watching the other's back. What if another Strigoi pinned her? What if...

Fuck it. He was going.

Some sixth sense was warning him—Rose needed him, and he wouldn't let her down. He stormed out of the building, his mind racing as he tried to settle on the best way to proceed. He needed to know exactly where they were going, and he needed to—

"Your aura matches your element, Ozera. You're surrounded by a ring of red-orange, just like a flame. Who pissed you off now?" Adrian's sarcastic drawl interrupted his thoughts. Christian felt his lips twisting up in a wry grin. The man in front of him was the bane of his existence—well, one of them—but right now, Ivashkov was just what he needed to help him. He needed to be in top form if he was going to find the rescue party.

The older Moroi was leaning up against the wall, green eyes narrowed as he stared at the air surrounding Christian's body. The end of his cigarette glowed brighter as he drew deeply on it, the air filling with the strong, thick scent of burning cloves and tobacco. He titled his head in a bird like manner, arching an eyebrow as he exhaled.

"It's changing… bright yellow now, with traces of viridian. You're excited about something… some idea. What's on your mind, Christian?"

"I need your help. I need you to heal me and then—"

Adrian laughed. "Heal what? You're as healthy as a horse. Besides, Lissa's the healer, not me. I'm nowhere near as powerful as she is. I've only been healing minor injuries."

"I can't ask Lissa. If she knew what I was going to do she'd try and stop me. I'm still tired from earlier, and I need to be in top shape—I'm going to help them fight."

"Why?" Adrian flicked his still burning cigarette into the bushes, his expression curious.

"What you said about Rose earlier—"

"I told you it was nothing. It was spirit."

Christian grabbed his arm. "I'm not talking about the Belikov thing—I know about them, I saw the way they acted. I'm talking about what you said in the clinic, about Rose screaming and her soul dying!"

Adrian jerked back in agitation, pulling his arm free. "It was spirit, Ozera. It doesn't mean anything. It…"

His eyes glazed over, slightly crossing as his head cocked to the side again. Christian watched in fascination as the man's entire visage changed. Instead of the lazy arrogance he usually projected, his face displayed sheer terror at whatever was playing through his mind. It lasted for less than a minute, before Adrian shook his head as if to clear it.

"You need to go. Now. They're almost to the caves." He pinched the bridge of his nose, frowning. "I don't think you'll make it in time, Christian."

"Then quit fucking around and heal me!"

Adrian's hand snaked out, latching on to his forearm. Instantly, he was filled with a feeling of warmth and light, reminding him of his mother's embrace when he was a small boy.

"Do you even know where you're going?"

Ivashkov's question pulled him out of his contemplation. As the warmth of the healing receded, replaced by a surge of energy. He felt… stronger, somehow.

"How'd you do that? I feel stronger?"

Adrian shrugged. "I gave you an extra jolt of spirit. Good to know that it worked, I wasn't sure how effective it would be."

The fact he'd been experimented on rankled him, but he shoved the irritation aside. "You said they were at a cave—so just give me directions.

"It doesn't work like that. I don't know where the cave is, I just know what it looks like." He ran his hands through his hair, making it appear even messier. "I could track Belikov using spirit, but I'd have to go with you, and that would slow you down. You'd never make it in time."

"Shit." Chewing on his bottom lip, Christian pondered the problem. Watching Adrian light up another cigarette, he realized the solution stood right in front of him. He knocked the cigarette out of the other man's hand. "Come on."

"I just told you I'd slow—"

"I know—you're gonna help me find directions."

Adrian followed after him, a confused look on his handsome face. Christian didn't bother to explain. Soon enough, Ivashkov would figure it out.

* * *

They waylaid the first guardian they came across. Christian recognized the man—his name was Grigori Durov. For a while, Tasha had made a point of spending time with him whenever she visited the school. Initially he'd wondered what his aunt saw in the man—he was rather stupid, and not very friendly. After she'd made her offer to Belikov, Christian recognized her reasons for seeing Durov. Grigori vaguely resembled Dimitri—although he was much shorter and far less handsome—having the same dark eyes and hair, and the same musical Russian accent. Clearly that had been her sole reason for dating the man. Once Belikov had been assigned to the school she'd never bothered to speak to Durov again.

It was surprisingly easy to access the information they needed. Guardian's didn't expect the Moroi on campus to use compulsion on them, and while Christian's power of persuasion might be lacking, Adrian's was anything but. In record time they had not only directions but a map. The route the rescue party had taken was clearly marked, and as he studied it, he realized it would be a long, arduous trip.

"Do you want to take his stake before I release him?" Adrian asked.

Christian made a sound of disgust. "What for? I wouldn't know how to use it. Besides," his lips turned up in a sly grin, "I don't need it. I can kill a Strigoi using fire."

Nodding, Ivashkov released the man, instructing him to forget seeing them. They waited until he continued on his rounds, then set off through the trees at a fast jog.

All too soon, Adrian began to fall behind. Christian stopped for a moment to let the other man catch his breath, cursing internally at the hold up. They didn't have a moment to spare—not with five miles to cover.

"Go on. I'll follow you." Ivashkov was leaning over, resting his hands on his knees. "You have to hurry. I have a bad feeling…"

That's all he needed to hear. He started to jog away, only to come to an abrupt halt at Adrian's next words.

"I'll wait inside the wards. If you're too late—if Belikov's dead when you get there, bring him to me as fast as you can. I'll try to bring him back."

"I thought Rose was the one in trouble—you said she was losing her soul—"

Adrian's face was a mask, hiding whatever his true feeling might be. "How would you feel if you watched Lissa die? He owns a piece of her soul Ozera. She won't make it without him."

Christian spun, sprinting out of the clearing, thankful for the extra stamina that spirit had instilled within him. He knew he was going to need every damn bit of it.

* * *

Just when he'd begun to despair ever finding them, he heard the screams. They were bone-chilling, full of anguish and fear. He knew instantly that they were coming from the one person he'd never suspect would make such a sound. Rose.

Janine Hathaway's voice carried through the air. "Rose, we have to get out of here!"

"He's in there!" Rose screamed, her voice strained and broken sounding.

"He is dead, Rose! We can't go back in there. The sun will be down in fifteen minutes, and they are waiting for us. We're going to be in the dark before we can get back to the wards. We need every second we can get—it still may not be enough." Her mother sounded sharp and angry, clearly not understanding her daughter's reactions.

Christian broke through the trees to see Rose struggling to break free of her mother's iron grip. Guardian Alto was on her other side, trying to tow her back towards the trees.

As he watched, Guardian Hathaway slapped her. "Run!" She yelled. "He is dead! You are not going to join him!"

He saw Rose look towards the cave entrance, where a group of ten or so Strigoi had gathered, watching with evil smiles on their pale faces.

"Run!" Janine cried again.

He darted forward, shoving his element at the two guardians, heating their hands to just this side of burning. Both of them released Rose at almost the exact same instant. He might have laughed at their expressions, if he'd had time. He grabbed Rose's arm, pulling her towards the cave.

"Come on Hathaway, Belikov needs us."

Ignoring the cries of protest behind them, they raced towards the waiting Strigoi. The creatures smiles widened as they watched the young Moroi and dhampir approach. Gathering in his power, he imagined a forest fire, raging beyond control as he threw it into the Strigoi with as much force as he could, and as one they all ignited, incinerating so fast they had no time to cry out.

As they sped down the tunnel, Christian prepared a fireball, launching it at the Strigoi that was attached to Belikov's neck as soon as it they came into view. The monster jerked away from the fallen guardian, his upper body enshrouded in flames. He watched as Rose sprang forward, ramming her stake home, finishing the bastard off, her face twisted into a mask of fury.

Three more Strigoi were advancing on them from the depths of the cave and he could hear footsteps pounding up behind them as someone approached from the other side. With a silent prayer he threw up a ring of fire, encircling the three of them as Rose checked Belikov's pulse.

"Is he alive?" He asked, his voice strained. He couldn't keep this up much longer, even with the extra boost of spirit, he was pushing his body to its limit.

"Barely. We have to—"

"Ivashkov is waiting at the wards, in case he needs to… bring him back."

Rose's head shot up, her eyes wide with shock. "Adrian? But why—"

"Not now. We've got to get him out of here. I'm almost drained, Rose."

At that moment the fire went out, and he collapsed to the ground. Rose darted in front of him, abandoning her lover to protect him. From the corner of his eye he saw a flash of red hair as Janine flew past them, with Alto at her side. A moment later Guardian Petrov joined them, and with Rose's help, they quickly finished off the threat.

Rose's hand shot to her stomach, the same way it had when they'd been in the woods. "There's more coming. I'll help Christian—get Dimitri!" With that she helped him up, moving towards the entrance. The guardians lifted Belikov and were on their heels as they ran out of the cave.

He heard her quiet sobs as they ran, trying his best to ignore them. Later, when all this was over, she'd hate the fact she had wept in front of him. Under normal circumstances, he would have reveled in her discomfort, teasing her relentlessly. But this… well this was anything but normal. He knew what it was like watching someone you love die—or almost die—and he wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.

As soon as they hit the trees, two more guards joined them, one assisting with Belikov, the other falling back to guard the rear. They sped through the forest, ever aware of the sinking sun as the shadows darkened around them. Night was pressing down on them, and when it fell the Strigoi would be after them.

Christian called out, struggling to make his voice carry over the few feet that separated them from the rest of their group. "Adrian Ivashkov is waiting inside the wards to heal him. Don't wait for us, just get him there as fast as you can."

"Thank you Christian." Roses voice was a tear filled whisper. "Thank you so much."

"Every time you take Lissa's darkness, you save the woman I love, Rose. The least I could do was return the favor."

She stumbled, almost taking them both down to the uneven forest floor. He glanced over at her, smirking at her shocked expression.

"Wha—"

"Come on, give me some credit Hathaway. It's obvious that the two of you are in love. Don't worry, I'll keep your secret." As she dropped her head to hide her blushing cheeks, he reached up, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "The two of you—it makes sense. He's a good influence on you."

Rose's head shot up as a faint voice called out from the group ahead of them. "Roza? Where is my Roza? Did she make it?"

She bit her lip, her expression torn. He could tell she wanted to rush to Belikov's side, but she wouldn't go. She'd stay by his side until they reached the safety of the wards.

"Go on. He needs you." He offered.

"No—you're my Moroi to protect, remember? You come first."

He winced God, he hated that saying. As if a Moroi were so much more important than a dhampir? They were essentially one in the same, for Christ's sake, with only a few genetic differences—what made one better than the other?

"Look, I can make it on my own now," he said. Seeing she was about to protest, he pulled away, removing his arm from her shoulder. "Come on, I'm going to check on him—think you can keep up?"

Her face lit up as she sprinted after him, pushing through the throng of guardians to claim Belikov's hand.

"Hey Comrade. Don't ever scare me like that again."

Christian watched Dimitri's face transform. A moment before it had been filled with pain, yet when he heard her voice and gazed up at her, all traces of pain vanished in an instant. "Roza. You came back for me."

"I couldn't have done it without Christian." She tore her eyes away from her lover, looking up at Christian. "He's a hero. He saved you."

He smiled to himself at her words. They were kind, but unnecessary. He wasn't a hero, not really. He'd only done what was right. One of the first things his aunt had taught him was that you never leave anyone behind, not while you still had a fighting chance. He watched Rose and Belikov for a moment, listening as the man chastised her gently for putting herself in danger. The guardians carrying him were exchanging confused glances at the exchange, their eyes widening in shock at what Belikov uttered next.

"I love you my Roza," he said, his eyes dropping closed.

"Dimitri?" She squeezed his hand, her face panicked. "Dimitri?"

Janine checked his pulse. "He's alive, but we need to hurry." She shot her daughter a hard look. "What was that about Rose? What's going on?"

"Not now. We'll talk about it later."

"You're right, we will." The woman continued to glare at her daughter, her face full of suspicion.

Christian scanned the forest ahead, spotting Adrian leaning against one, a cigarette handing from his mouth. "Ivashkov! We need you!"

Adrian jogged towards them, staring at Belikov. "Somebody move, his aura's fading." He shoved past Alberta, laying both hands on the injured man. As they watched, his eyes fell closed and his face scrunched up in pain. A thin line of blood trickled from his nose but he didn't seem to notice. Belikov's eyes shot open at the exact moment Adrian started to crumple to the ground. Christian was there to catch him before he could complete the fall.

"Did that totally wipe you out?" He whispered.

Adrian smirked. "Nah. Just give me a second to get my second wind." He winced, rubbing his forehead. "What's with all the sour faces? He's alive."

"He told Rose he loved her before he passed out. Can you—"

"Yeah. All of them except Allie. She's immune to compulsion. She won't say anything—she already knew."

The guardians set Belikov down and he brushed past them, gathering Rose in his arms. She fell into his embrace and began to sob, pressing her face against his chest as she clung to him. He crooned softly to her in Russian, rocking her gently, pressing his lips against the top of her head. Everyone except Guardian Petrov was silently glaring at them, Janine barely holding her anger in check, looking like she might attack him at any moment.

"For fucks sake do it so they quit glaring at them." Christian said, his anger growing by the minute. What the fuck was their problem? The man had almost died, for Christ's sake—he deserved to have a minute or two holding the woman he loved.

Adrian stepped forward with a wicked grin on his face. "Can I have everyone's attention? Good. Now this is what you're going to remember..."

Christian watched him with a wry smirk. Who would have thought the day would come when he'd be glad that Lissa and Adrian had spent so much time researching spirit? Thank God for super compulsion and the drunken Moroi that could channel it.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the group crossed the wards, the guardians oblivious to the fact Rose and Belikov were hand in hand. Adrian shot a knowing glance his way, pleased with outcome of his spirit use. Rolling his eyes in response, Christian sighed. All he wanted was to find Lissa and hold her in his arms, followed up with a trip to their attic. He'd seen enough death today. It was time to celebrate being alive.

When they reached the clinic, Lissa was stunned to hear what he'd done. She alternated between kissing him and bitching him out—thankfully she was dishing out more kisses than angry words. After she agreed to meet him later in their special place, he left, wanting nothing more than a shower to wash the grime from his aching body. The quad was crowded with students and staff alike, all speculating on what had transpired on the mission. Everyone involved was still in the clinic, so rumors were flying about who had made it out alive.

He was in the middle of the crowd when a voice called out, loudly echoing through the air, silencing everyone around him.

"Lord Ozera!"

He turned, his customary smirk affixed to his face, surprised to see Belikov hurrying after him.

"I wanted to thank you. You saved my life. I would have died or been turned Strigoi if it hadn't been for your bravery." Dimitri's lightly accented voice was loud enough that everyone in the area heard him. Already they were staring at Christian, their faces expressing shock and awe. He even heard a gasp or two.

"It was nothing." He offered. "Rose did most—"

Belikov cut him off. "Rose told me exactly what happened. They were going to leave me to a fate worse than death. You stopped them. You ran into a cave full of Strigoi with Rose to help me. And you… well, she told me everything. I am indebted to you in more ways than one. It would be my honor to serve as your guardian, if you will have me."

Christian stared at the other man, shocked by what he offered. Dimitri Belikov was the most skilled guardian he knew. It was the reason he'd been assigned to protect the last Dragomir. This was more of an honor than he deserved. And what about Lissa? Why would the other man abandon his charge to…

Ah.

He met the older man's eyes, and understanding passed between them. Rose would guard Lissa. Belikov was stepping down, so there would be no conflict of interest. A wise move on his part.

"I accept your offer, Guardian Belikov. Thank you." He nodded towards the other man before turning and making his way through the crowd.

He smiled to himself—for the first time in thirteen years, he didn't feel like an outcast. In that moment, he wasn't just the son of parents who'd voluntarily turned Strigoi. He was more than just the freak who dated the last Dragomir. He was Christian Ozera, and for the first time in his life, he was proud of that fact.

He heard their whispers as he slowly walked past. They were all talking about him, as usual. Only now, they were talking about Christian Ozera, the Moroi who'd risked his life to save a guardian. He felt them watching him, and it made him stand taller, with his head held high.

He didn't mind their actions. Let them whisper. Let them stare. He was used to it.

But this time—for the first time—he deserved it.


End file.
